Head bands and wrist bands worn during sports, such as tennis and volleyball, are well known. Such bands are commonly worn to absorb perspiration, thereby preventing perspiration from contacting the user's eyes and/or hands where it may potentially interfere with the user's performance. Such contemporary bands typically comprise elastic terry cloth or the like which is configured to snugly encircle the wearer's wrist or the upper portion of the user's head.
Flexible cold packs for use in therapeutic applications, such as to reduce swelling and inflammation resulting from sprained joints, are likewise well known. Such cold packs typically comprise a freezable gel disposed within a liquid-impenetrable bag which may be cooled to a temperature below the freezing point of water without becoming rigid. Such cold packs typically have a comparatively high heat capacity such that they may be placed in contact with an anatomical portion f the user's body for a prolonged period of time, i.e. 15-45 minutes, before the cooling effect is lost.
Overheating of the participants during sporting events is common, particularly on hot and/or humid days. Participants frequently attempt to cool themselves by applying a water spray to their bodies such that evaporative cooling will occur. However, this technique is not particularly effective when the humidity is high. Other techniques, such as drinking cold liquids, may affect the user's performance and possibly present health risks.
No means of providing a cooled band for use in sports is presently known. Additionally, no means is presently known for maintaining contact of a therapeutic cold pack with an anatomical portion of a user's body during sports activities.
As such, although the prior art has recognized to a limited extent the problems of absorbing perspiration during sporting events and of cooling the participants, the proposed solutions have to date been ineffective in providing a satisfactory remedy. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a sports band which would both absorb the user's perspiration and provide cooling to the user.